Self-sealing closure mechanism for liquids



Nov. 30,

9 T. F. SCHLICKSUPP SELF-SEALING CLOSURE MECHANISM FOR LIQUIDS Filed July 27, 1953 INVENTOR THEODORE E 50, 4 IC/(SUPP FM, 5 ml, wagfijlmwl 7. 2.1.

H15 ATTORNEYS United States Patent SELF-SEALING CLOSURE MECHANISM FOR LIQUIDS I Theodore F. Schlicksupp, Long Island City, N. Y.

Application July 27, 1953, Serial No. 370,414

6 Claims. (Cl. 222-513) to be used in connection with containers for liquids,

creams and the like, and particularly with bottles of toilet water, skin lotions, perfume, etc. where conservation of the liquid is essential. i

The primary object of the invention is to provide a discharge mechanism which provides a tight'closure so as to reduce evaporization to a minimum, and which at the same time can be easily manipulated to discharge some of the contents of the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which can be readily applied to the bottle of toilet water, lotion, etc. in place of the cap or other closure with which the bottle is provided at the time of purchase A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind wherein the construction is sufiiciently simple and economical to produce to enable it to be supplied with the container in place of the ordinary cap or other closure. i

The construction of the improved discharge mechanism of the invention will be understood from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the several embodiments illustrated therein.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a self-closing discharge mechanism according to my present invention, the device being shown in closed position;

Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1 but with the. parts of the mechanism in the open position;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal or transverse section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of the mechanism;

Fig. 5 is another view similar to Fig. 1 showing ananother modification; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation drawn to a reduced scale showing the device of the invention mounted on a bottle.

Referring now to these drawings, the device comprises a generally cylindrical body member 1, a spout or nozzle member 2 having at its outer end a discharge aperture 3, and an associated valve seat 4, and a central post. 5 supporting a valve member 6 at its outer end, the valve member shown in Figs. 1-3 being in the form of a ball. The spout member 2 is secured to the body member 1 by means of a ball joint connection, permitting the tilting of the spout member to one side to open the discharge opening 3 and allow the discharge of contents of the container, such as the bottle 7, on which the device is mounted.

In the construction of this ball joint connection, the spout member 2 is provided with an enlarged base member 8 which is received within a cylindrical chamber 9 formed within the upper portion of body member 1. The upper walls of this chamber converge as indicated at 10 to form a circular opening 11 which is smaller than the diameter of chamber 9. The nozzle member 2 projects through this opening 11, and the base member 8 has a surface 12 which is the segment of the sphere. This spherical surface engages the peripheral edge of the enculanopening 11 and is held in engagement therewith,

2,695,737 Patented Nov. 30, 1954 as will presently be described, for the purpose of perrmttmg the tilting of spout member 2, as mentioned.

In order to support the valve member, in this instance ball 6, a stationary central post 13 is mounted on body member 1 below and spaced somewhat from the lower end of spout member 2. The spout member 2 is a hollow member having an axial passage extending up from its lower end, and 'post 5 extends upwardly within the interior of nozzle member 2 but is smaller than the inside diameter of this member leaving a generally annular space 14, which allows the tilting movement of nozzle 2, and through which the contents of the bottle 7 may reach the discharge opening 3.

Post 5 is formed integrally with, or attached to, a supporting plate 15 which is apertured as indicated at 16 to allow communication between the neck of the bottle 7 and the annular passage 14 within spout 2.

Inasmuch as it is difiicult to make a ball joint complete ly liquid-tight, the device is provided with a diaphragm 17 disposed below this joint. This diaphragm is secured around its peripheral edge to the body member 1, being clamped against a shoulder 18 formed within body member 1, by a ring or flange 19 extending upwardly from the periphery of supporting plate 15. This member 19 may be formed as a flange on platelS, or inserted as a ring or collar separate from plate 15. The inner edge of diaphragm 17 is secured to the lower surface of nozzle 2 by means of a flange sleeve 20 which is fitted tightly within the nozzle. Diaphragm17 is preferably of a material which is highly flexible and non-resilient so as not to interfere with the tilting of the nozzle 2. The flanged sleeve 20 clamps the inner margin of diaphragm 17 against only a narrow annular face formed on the bottom of nozzle 2, the material of the base member 8 being preferably cut away, as shown in Fig. 1. The ball valve member 6 is supported at the upper end of post 5, within a bore of suitable diameter. This bore extends downwardly to form a shoulder 21 on which a compression spring 22 rests. This spring urgesthe ball 6 upwardly and the post and spout 2 downwardly so as to forcethe valve ball 6 against its seat 4 in the discharge aperture 3. A passage 23 extends from the shoulder 21 to the bottom of post 5 so that the movement of valve ball 6 will not be affected by liquid which might otherwise become trapped beneath it.

The parts of the device are assembled as follows. First the flexible diaphragm 17 is secured to the lower end of spout 2 by inserting the flanged sleeve 24) which fits the bore of the spout with a push fit, that is, the friction of the interengaging surfaces is sufficient to hold the parts together. Other attaching means may be employed, if desired. The spout 2 is then inserted in the body member 1 with the ball valve 6 and spring 22 in place, and the outer rim of diaphragm 17 is seated on shoulder 18, the ring or flange 19 and plate 15 are then placed against the outer surface of the diaphragm, this ring and plate fitting the bore 24 in the lower end of body 1 with a sliding fit so that these parts are easily insertable.

Thereupon a sleeve member 25 which is dimensioned to make a push fit within bore 24, is inserted in the tainers. 'It will be understood that a washer 27 may.

be inserted at the upper end of the bottle neck to form a tight seal in the usual manner.

In the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 the upper end of the spout 2 is tapered outwardly to form a bulge 28. In the preferred form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the inner wall of spout 2 above bulge 28..is of substantially conical shape forming a cam surface 29 which forces the valve member 6 downwardly partially within the bore of the upper end of post 5 and away from the valve seat 4, thereby opening th; discharge aperture 3 when the spout is tilted to one s1 e. in Fig. 2, it will be understood that the spherical surface 12 rocks inthe circular aperture 11 of. the balljoint As the spout is tilted .in this manner, as shown,

structure, and that the flexibility of the diaphragm 17 permits such movement.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the construction of the upper end of the spout or nozzle member is modified in such a manner as to hold the spout in tilted or open position, instead of making it automatically self-closing, as in the construction of Figs. 1 and '2. For this purpose the shape of the nozzle walls above the bulge 28a is made partially conical, as shown at 29a, and partially fiat as at 30. At the circle which forms the intersection between the conical walls 29a and fiat annular surface 30, corner is formed into which the ball 6 is received when the nozzle 2a is tilted to one side.

As shown in the dotted line position in Fig. 4, the width of the annular surface 30 is sufiicient so that the inner periphery of discharge aperture 3 is moved slightly beyond the center of the ball before the tilting movement is stopped by the conical surface 29a striking the ball. This produces a stable condition so that the spout is held in such tilted position with the discharge aperture 3 open. This modified form of the device is therefore a two-position construction, that is to say, the device is either definitely open or definitely closed. In this form, the ball 6 is pushed inwardly not by a conical surface as in the Fig. 1 construction, but by the inner periphery or valve seat 4 around the edge of the discharge opening 3. In Fig. 4 also the sleeve member 25a is provided with a V-shaped thread 26a for reception upon a container having a different form of neck from the bottle 7.

Otherwise than described above, the construction of the device shown in Fig. 4 is identical with that of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring now to Fig. 5, in this modification the movable valve member is a portion of the nozzle itself, the valve ball 6 being omitted and, instead, the outer end of post 5a is rounded and preferably given a partly spherical shape, as indicated at 6a, and constitutes the valve member. Post 5a is solid instead of having a passage through it, as in the case of post 5, but the support of the post on plate a is the same as in the previous construction.

In the modified form of spout shown in Fig. 5, this member ismade in two sections, namely, an axially shiftable spout section 31 and a supporting and guiding spout section 32, the former being telescoped within and projecting through the latter. Spout section 31 has at its outer end the discharge aperture 3a and valve seat 4a, and its inner end is attached to the flexible diaphragm .170. For this purpose the inner end of spout member 31 is provided with a flange 33, and the inner periphery of the diaphragm is clamped against the upper side of this flange by means of a collar 34 which is received on the outer cylindrical surface of spout member 31 with a push or force fit to hold the diaphragm securely.

The outer or supporting spout section 32 is also generally cylindrical in shape but is shorter than spout section 31 and is also larger in diameter, leaving an annular space between them. At the lower end of spout section 32 is an enlargement with the spherical surface 12 forming the ball joint connection with the circular opening 11 at the contracted upper end of the body member 1. The inner spout section 31 is arranged for axial sliding movement within the outer section 32, the collar 34 sliding on the inner surface of section 32, and the exterior surface of section 31 sliding in an aperture formed in the contracted upper end portion 35 of section 32.

A compression spring 36 surrounds the inner spout section 32 within the annular space between the two sections, its lower end bearing on collar 34 and its upper end on the contracted portion 35. The effect of this spring, therefore, is to urge the inner spout section 31 downwardly to close the valve seat 4a against the semispherical valve-forming end of post 5a. The outer end portion of inner section 31 is cone-shaped, as indicated at 29!), and coacts with the end of post 5 a to restore the spout 31, 32 to upright or closed position after it has been laterally tilted or displaced to open the valve 1n order to dispense the contents of the container on which the device is mounted.

i In the form of the device shown m Fig. 5, the sleeve of Fig. 1 is replaced by an attachment member 37 which, as before, forms a force fit with the bore 24 at the lower end of body member 1 in order to hold the various parts assembled position. This member has a downwardly projecting neck portion 38 on which a tapering sleeve 39 of cork, rubber, or the like is placed and which is to be received'within the mouth of a bottle, or other container. It will be understood that this attachment member can be used with either of the other forms of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and also that the sleeves 25 and 25a can be used, as desired, in any of the forms of the device.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of the closure mechanism of the invention, which changes are intended to be included as part of the invention if they are within the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a discharge mechanism for containers, a body member constructed to be attached to the container, a spout member secured to said body member by a connection permitting tilting of the spout member, said spout member having an axial passage therethrough, a post fixed at its inner end to said body member and projecting into said axial passage leaving a space intermediate the post and spout member, a valve member at the outer end of said post, the outer end of said spout member having a discharge aperture and a seat for said valve member associated therewith, and means for resiliently urging the said valve and spout members in opposite directions to close the discharge aperture when said spout and post members are in coaxial position, said spout member when tilted away from such position opening said aperture and permitting the contents of the container to flow thereto.

2. In a discharge mechanism for containers, a body member constructed to be attached to the container, a spout member secured to said body member by a connection permitting tilting of the spout member, said spout member having an axial passage therethrough, a post fixed at its inner end to said body memberand projecting into said axial passage leaving a space intermediate the post and spout member, a valve member at the outer end of said post, the outer end of said spout member having a discharge aperture and a seat for said valve member associated therewith, and means for resiliently urging the said valve and spout members in opposite directions axially of said spout member to cause said valve to close the discharge aperture when said spout and post members are in coaxial position, said spout member when tilted away from such position opening said aperture and permitting the contents of the container to flow thereto, and a cam surface on the interior of said nozzle cooperating with said valve member when said spout member is tilted to urge the spout member towards coaxial position with said post.

3. In a discharge mechanism for containers, a body member constructed to be attached to the container, a spout member secured to said body member by a connection permitting tilting of the spout member, said spout member having an axial passage therethrough, a post fixed at its inner end to said body member and projecting into said axial passage leaving a space intermediate the post and spout member, a valve member at the outer end of said post, the outer end of said spout member having a discharge aperture and a seat for said valve member associated therewith, and means for resiliently urging the said valve and spout members in opposite directions axially of said spout member to cause said valve to close the discharge aperture when said spout and post members are in coaxial position, said spout member when tilted away from such position opening said aperture and permitting the contents of the container to fiow thereto, and a formation on the interior of said nozzle cooperating with said valve member when said spout member is tilted to hold the spout member in tilted position.

4. In a discharge mechanism for containers, 2. body member constructed to be attached to the container, a spout member secured to said body member by a connection permitting tilting of the spout member, said spout member having an axial passage therethrough, a post fixed at its inner end to said body member and projecting into said axial passage leaving an annular space between the post and spout member, said post having a recess at its outer end, a ball valve member within said recess, the outer end of said spout member having a discharge opening anda seat for said ball associated therewith, and a spring within said recess urging the said ball outwardly to close the discharge opening when said spout member is coaxial with said post, said spout member when tilted away from such position opening said aperture and permitting the contents of the container to flow thereto.

5. In a discharge mechanism for containers, a body member constructed to be attached to the container, 21 spout comprising telescoped inner and outer sections, the inner section being secured to said body member by a connection permitting tilting of the spout, said inner section having an axial passage therethrough, a post fixed at its inner end to said body member and projecting into said axial passage leaving a space intermediate the post and inner spout section, the outer end of said post constituting a valve member, the outer end of said outer section having a discharge aperture and a seat for said valve member associated therewith, and means for resiliently urging the inner spout member section against said valve member so as to close the discharge aperture when said spout and said post member are in coaxial position, said spout when tilted away from such position opening said aperture and permitting the contents of the container to flow thereto through said intermediate space.

6. In a discharge mechansm for containers, a body member constructed to be attached to the container, at spout comprising telescoped inner and outer sections and having an annular space between them, the inner section being secured to said body member by a connection permitting tilting of the spout, said inner section having an axial passage therethrough, a post fixed at its inner end to said body member and projecting into said axial passage leaving a space intermediate the post and inner spout section, the outer end of said post constituting a valve member, the outer end of said outer section hav ing a discharge aperture and a seat for said valve member associated therewith, and a coil spring disposed in said annular space urging the inner spout member section against said valve member so as to close the discharge aperture when said spout and said post member are in coaxial position, said spout when tilted away from such position opening said aperture and permitting the contents of the container to flow thereto through said intermediate space.

No references cited. 

